U.S. Makes Plans for GPS Shutdown 945
sailforsingapore writes "Apparently, President Bush is drawing up plans to disable sections of the GPS network in the event of a terrorist attack. The rationale seems to be that it would prevent said terrorists from using the GPS system to direct some sort of attack. The plan would shut down access not only to the GPS satellite network, but projects like the EU's Galileo. Ironically, this comes alongside the President's plan to strengthen the GPS network against deliberate jamming."
Incorrect: Understand the way it's shut off (Score:1, Informative)
Re:A question (Score:2, Informative)
though missiles aren't the only use for gps. there are many military applications for qps. just letting your troops know where they are make it easier for them to call in air or artillery support, or just coordinate an attack with other troops. basically any reason a civillian finds gps useful is also useful for military purposes
Its called WAAS (Score:5, Informative)
Read more about it
http://www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html
Re:Galileo? (Score:5, Informative)
These technical parameters will allow either side to effectively jam the other's signal in a small area, such as a battlefield, without shutting down the entire system.
Two GPS Signals (Score:1, Informative)
L1 is the signal civilian GPS signal used in your handheld GPS receiver or installed your car. This one Clinton made more accurate for everyone.
L2 is encrypted for use by US military and is extremely accurate. This system guides cruise missiles down smokestacks.
Turning off L1 would unsync timing signals to computer networks using GPS as Stratum 1 timing.
Re:So? (Score:3, Informative)
"The system is used by countless civilians as well, who can use the GPS's Standard Positioning Service worldwide free of charge. [...]
On May 1, 2000, US President Bill Clinton announced that this "Selective Availability" would be turned off. However, for military purposes, "Selective Deniability" may still be used to, in effect, jam civilian GPS units in a war zone or global alert while still allowing military units to have full functionality. European concern about this and commercial issues has resulted in the planned GALILEO positioning system. Russia already operates an independent system called GLONASS (global navigation system), although with only 12 active satellites as of 2004, the system is of limited usefulness."
Seems like the article was just yet another opportunity for people to mention "President Bush", "terrorism" and "WE'RE OUTRAGED!!!1111" in the same thread.
Re:Galileo? (Score:4, Informative)
rational behind proposal (Score:3, Informative)
Nothing, but.... (Score:5, Informative)
The problem is the Bush Administration is just so arrogant. The Pentagon has plan to do whatever, regardless of what they say they would or wouldn't do. I don't have a problem with this. But, that does not mean it is rational to threat the supposely allied EU countries for an attack of Galileo [space.com]... Let's turn the table around. Imagine what would be Bush's reaction if the French Government say that kind of crap first....
I don't even need to mention other sovereignty countries... It is clear why Bush is hated by so many people around the world.
Re:GPS Airport Approaches (Score:2, Informative)
The Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids plan has been in place for decades.
During events that affect national security, the military can preempt normal traffic handling and take control/disable of civilian navigation aids (including ground based beacons and runway aids) under SCATANA to prevent them from being (mis)used.
When Selective Availability was shut off in 2000, it was also emphasized that the GPS signal could be degraded or shut off in select areas if needed in the future. The current order seems to clarify or improve this process.
Re:Incorrect: Understand the way it's shut off (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Your forgetting the airplanes themselves... (Score:1, Informative)
1. Divert
2. I'm sure the airport probably has a published VOR approach even if there is not a VOR on the field. Follow the published approach. Unless the plane is shooting a Category III approach, part of the procedure will be to have visual on the runway before descending through the decision height, else declare a missed approach and follow the missed approach procedures.
3. ATC is there to help! If the airspace is controlled, request vectors to final.
4. All of this is assuming that the conditions are too poor at the destination to just call the whole thing off and just shoot a VFR approach.
This makes no sense (Score:3, Informative)
This is incredibly shortsighted, let me give you a good example: In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Charley, cellphones, telephones and existing radio systems were down in the areas hardest hit, but amateur radio operators swarmed the area and deployed new antennas and crank up towers and tons of radios for the first responders. In addition to that they deployed this amazing technology called APRS for the salvation army and others that allowed the participating groups to track in realtime the location of all of their vehicles.
Now, if your not familiar with APRS, it starts with a low powered radio, a GPS unit, and a device that hooks up to the GPS and the radio that transmits the GPS coordinates in digital format on the radio. Then, ideally, a central radio tower can hear these signals and develop a picture of where all the signals are based off of their GPS coordinates. Whats even more insane is that APRS has grown so much that satellites and even the international space station repeat and broadcast APRS signals!
So if GPS were shut down first responders would lose a valuable emergency coordination resource. Not to mention the fact that some police/fire already have similar systems in place, though generally such systems are wiped out in disasters, hence the amateur radio operators who are at the ready to redeploy communications gear.
Read more:
More on APRS [navy.mil]
APRS on the ISS [navy.mil]
Amateur Radio Emergency Communication [arrl.org]
NO! (Re:Its called WAAS) (Score:5, Informative)
I work in the Testing & Evaluation of WAAS. WAAS and Selective Availability are not the same (or opposites). WAAS was never "militarized".
When Clinton ordered for the switch to be flipped (so to speak), what was done was the disabling of Selective Availability, which was a purposeful degradation of the civilian GPS signal (L1). The military had (and still has) a second (encrypted) signal that a military receiver must have a key to properly use (L2). Using that signal enhances their accuracy, whether or not Selective Availability is active.
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) is something else. WAAS uses Geostationary Satellites to enhance (augment) GPS accuracy & precision in the USA. Not all GPS receivers use WAAS. Accuracy of a WAAS receiver is increased in either case (that is, with or without Selective Availability) relative to a non-WAAS receiver, but there is a noticeable difference from SA.
Not all GPS receivers use WAAS, but Selective Availability has been disabled, which affects all GPS receivers.
Re:Incorrect: Understand the way it's shut off (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Cutting off their nose to spite their face (Score:2, Informative)
The job he does is often referred to as TAC-P.
"He would take a GPS reading of his current location"
And believe me, he doesn't need GPS to know his location, it just makes it easier.
"the US issue GPS they gave him was HUGE... Nobody in that job uses the issued GPS. Instead they order a civilian GPS"
Also, chances that he is dependent on his civilian GPS are slim to none. He can always use the issued piece (which he probably keeps nearby) when need be. He just uses the civillian one when it is more convenient.
Paul
Re:Its called WAAS (Score:3, Informative)
Selective Availabilty was turned off some time ago -- that was the "military" thing.
WAAS is a GPS augmentation that is relatively new. WAAS satellites were launched AFTER SA was turned off. According to the link that you provided, this is something desired by the FAA. I don't think that it was ever designed for the military.
Here's the scoop. Selective availibility put a large error in the position. WAAS attempts to compensatee for the small error due to ionospheric effects. Correcting for a small error (5 feet) does no good if there is a large error (100 feet) that you cannot fix. So WAAS only does any good after SA has been turned off.
Re:NO! (Re:Its called WAAS) (Score:3, Informative)
WAAS uses geostationary satellites to relay data, but the important part is the network of 25 ground reference sites. This sites are precisely surveyed, and used to calculate correction data for the GPS signals. This correction data is periodically uplinked to the geostationary satellites, which relay the corrections to WAAS-equipped GPS receivers. The receivers use the correction data for their location to refine the GPS calculation.
Re:NO! (Re:Its called WAAS) (Score:2, Informative)
You are absolutely correct. Note that I was just trying to keep it simple, and speak from the user perspective (i.e. receiver sees GEOs, not ground stations), to point out the incorrect assertion in the parent post.
Re:Incorrect: Understand the way it's shut off (Score:3, Informative)
Although in fact, MORE people have been killed by terrorists under Bush than were killed by terrorists under Clinton, even once you deduct the number killed on 9/11. That's according to the government's own official figures.
See http://www.xciv.org/~meta/2004/09/30#2004-09-29 [xciv.org] for graphic, data source, etc.
Re:Incorrect: Understand the way it's shut off (Score:2, Informative)
If empire were an American desire Europe would have went through being territories all the way to US states by now. Remember that after WWII we stood astride the world with a war machine unmatched in history, totally unopposed by the shattered remains of the rest of the civilized world, in sole possession of the Ultimate Weapon. What did we do? Taxed ourselves to rebuild not only our wartorn allies, but also our defeated enemies.
> thats what Europe objects to.
That is called projection. As in projecting your faults on others. Yes, most of the European powers would indeed take possession and try to keep anything they won in War. Therefore they assume we have the same motivations. But we aren't European. Sometimes this is a good thing, not so other times. This time though, it is a good one. We have no longterm designs on the Middle East.
Re:Trouble for CDMA cellphones? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Why is that ironic? (Score:4, Informative)
It's a mutual deal between the EU and the US. They can block each other for small areas, both sides agreed to this.
Coast Guard does plenty of abusing (Score:1, Informative)
There is *no* right to privacy / prevention of unreasonable search and seizure for a mariner on the water. Think about that. We've been fighting against the situation for years, but maybe now it'll start creeping into cars / etc and more people will understand why we're pissed!